Barriers and Facilitators of Health Literacy among D/deaf Individuals: A Review Article

Tahereh NASERIBOORIABADI, Farahnaz SADOUGHI, Abbas SHEIKHTAHERI

Abstract

Background: The implication of health literacy is the ability of individuals to find, understand, and use their required health information from reliable sources. It is an indicator of the individuals’ participation in their own medical decision-making. Deaf individuals have limited health literacy and poor health status due to low literacy. Hence, this review was conducted to understand barriers and facilitators influencing health literacy among deaf community.

Methods:We searched the ISI Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Medline from 1987 to 2016. Seventy-three papers were analyzed thematically.

Conclusion:Closing the deaf cultural gap and their limited access to health information are achievable through the removal of the communication barriers, allowing deaf individuals with more access to health learning opportunities, and informing the hearing community about the communicative skills of deaf individuals.

Haricharan HJ, Heap M, Coomans F, London L (2013). Can we talk about the right to healthcare without language? A critique of key international human rights law, drawing on the experiences of a Deaf woman in Cape Town, South Africa. Disabil Soc, 28:54-66.

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